The Elemental Ninjas
by IceNinja202
Summary: It's back! :D Little does Randy know that everything he has been taught about the past of the Norrisville Ninja was a lie. However, he is now ready to learn the true origins of the Ninja's existence... or is he? Rating may go up (to T, not M) in later chapters. I do not own Randy Cunningham! *Deconstruction fic*
1. Best friend's sister

**A/N: Hi guys! This is something new I'm doing for RC9GN, so tell me what you think. It's really Adventure/Fantasy/Romance, but they only let you pick two genres. And btw this is not related to Clarity, this is a story of it's own. R&R! :)**

We stand, facing our enemy. At first I thought we were toast, but then I realized we were more powerful than I ever even dared to wonder about before. _Before_, I think, smiling, thinking of how easy my life used to be before the others came to me. Back then, I was sure of everything.

Now, not so much.

Looking back on everything that's happened, I'm not really sure how it all started. I guess it started at the beginning of freshman year, when I got the ninja mask…

Oh wait, you already know that, don't you? I'm going to have to be more specific than that. Oh man, where do I begin…?

Oh, I know! It all started the week everyone was getting dates to the Spring Dance…

***~*~*THE ELEMENTAL NINJAS: THE BEGINNING*~*~***

"So, who're you gonna ask to the dance?" Howard asked, seeming slightly bored.

"What makes you think I'm asking anyone?"

"No, I know you, Cunningham. Lately you've been off in your own world and staring out of windows and sighing. Now tell me: Who is she?"

I froze. "What are you talking about, Howard?"

"Oh you know perfectly well what I'm talking about Cunningham. Perfectly. Well." All of a sudden the bell rang. "This is not over!" Howard said while backing away. Algebra was my next class, and it was the only one that we didn't have together.

"Whew! Saved by the bell." I said to no one in particular, making my way to class when I accidentally bumped into none other than Heidi Weinerman.

"Watch it, Andy!" She shouted in a hurry as she sped away.

"Really? She still can't remember my name?" I muttered, continuing on my way. "You'd think that she might bother to remember after I- I mean, _the ninja_, saved her- oh wait, that explains it." I sighed, couldn't she at least try? Was that so honkin' hard?

_Last month:_

_Heidi screamed as the monster version of Bash chased after her. "Me… want… Heidi… to be… Bash's… girlfriend!" he shouted._

_"I said no! Now leave me alone!" Heidi screamed at him to no avail._

_"No? No! Bash always gets what he wants!" Bash reached out his monstrous green hand __**I've never actually seen Bash as a monster but I think he would be green for some reason**__ to grab her._

_"Let me… go!"_

_"SMOKEBOMB!" I shouted, arriving onto the scene. I had had enough of this._

_"Ninja!" Heidi sighed, her eyes instantly filling with relief when she saw me. "Stop him! He's gone crazy!"_

_"Right away, Miss Weinerman!" I said imitating a deeper voice and focused my attention on fighting the stanked Bash. I heard Heidi sigh in the background but didn't really pay attention at the time, as I was trying to de-stank a monster._

_I dodged his blows with ease. Bash wasn't any smarter as a monster than he was in human form._

_I saw a rose surrounded by green stank in the pocket of his jeans. "It's time to end this! Ninja scarf!" I said using the ninja scarf to grab it. "Ninja slice!" I sliced it in half with my ninja sword and Bash returned to his normal state. Since he couldn't carry Heidi anymore, she began to fall but I caught her._

_"Thanks for saving me, Ninja," she said looking right at me. "I don't know what would've happened if it wasn't for you."_

_I felt an odd feeling spread through me. "Oh… it was nothing." I was really glad I was wearing the mask, because I felt heat rising to my cheeks. Oh, great. Was I falling for Heidi? The girl who could never even remember my name? I faintly heard Bash calling out in the background, but I ignored him._

_"No, Ninja, it wasn't _nothing_. You saved my life."_

_"No," I said, grinning beneath the mask. "I saved you from going out with Bash."_

_Heidi laughed. I realized that I loved her laugh. "That was saving my life."_

_"Why?" I asked, already knowing the answer since no sane girl would ever go out with Bash._

_"Because… I like someone else." My heart stopped- she couldn't mean me, could she? After all, she was acting flirtier than usual._

_"Uh…" I trailed off setting her down. "SMOKEBOMB!"_

_And that was how I fell for my best friend's sister._

I knew we would never work out, for a number of reasons. But, at the same time, I couldn't even pay attention in class; I was so distracted with thoughts of her. Wait, did my algebra teacher just announce a test for next week? Oh great, just what I needed.

I also knew that since Howard had already figured out that I liked somebody, he wouldn't stop until he found out who she was. And when he did… let's just say he would not be a supporter.

I had been avoiding Heidi as the ninja ever since that day. I knew I couldn't avoid her forever, but I was hoping to make it to the end of the school year, since it was already May.

She tried to talk to me, but I always smokebombed away. It wasn't because I didn't want to date her, because I did, but one; Howard was sure to find out, and two; she would eventually want to know who I was, and she would immediately stop liking the ninja that way once she knew it was me.

Or would that make her like me?

No. I wasn't taking the risk. I just couldn't do it.

Bucky was the first guy to get stanked that week. Apparently he had asked FluteGirl to go to the dance with him, and she said no. Big shocker there, not even someone like FluteGirl would say yes to a loser like Bucky.

He burst through the wall of algebra class, and everyone screamed and ran away. I dived under my desk and slipped on the ninja mask.

"Hey, you! Instead of plaster, why don't you eat my NINJA RINGS!" I shouted at him, throwing three ninja rings at him. He growled and swiped at me. I jumped out of the way and spotted a love letter surrounded by the usual green stank.

"BOOM! Love letter!" I jumped over to him and used my ninja chainsickle to distract him. "Ninja chainsickle!" I said while I grabbed the letter and tore it up, de-stanking the scrawny blonde band geek.

"Hello? Where am I?" he asked but by this point in the year he probably already knew what had happened.

"Ninja!" I heard a familiar voice. "I need to talk to you." Heidi ran up to me.

My heart pounded. "Sorry, Heidi. The life of a ninja is a busy one."

"Wait! Don't go!"

"I am sorry, but I must. Smokebomb!"

Through the mist I was just able to make out Heidi's disappointed expression. "Ninja…"

**This doesn't turn out like you think, trust me. So what did you think of it? Comments, compliments, and constructive criticism are all appreciated. Chapter 2 will be up soon. Thank you for reading! :)**


	2. More than I thought

**A/N: First off, thank you to those who reviewed: RCIB, RandyCunningham IsTheCheese, Ironninja 3 (even though that wasn't technically a review), Fleur, Ruby 1334, and wisedrow. Wow I can't believe I got 6 reviewers on the first chapter, I can already tell this is going to be more popular than Clarity :)**

**Ironninja 3: Just because Theresa wasn't in Chapter 1 doesn't mean that she's not going to be in this.**

**Also, I'm looking for a beta reader for this story and/or my other RC9GN story "Clarity". If you're interested please PM me :)**

**And, finally, I present to you: Chapter 2: More than I thought.**

Bucky was only the first. Each day following that one, more and more guys got stanked. It was getting harder and harder to keep up. On Thursday there were over 15 monsters, and, honestly, fighting them all was exhausting.

Once I beat them all, I kneeled down in extreme tiredness and took out the NinjaNomicon. "What the juice am I supposed to do, Nomicon? The boys just keep getting stanked, and even though I know how to de-stank them, it just gets tiring, and there's sure to be twice as much tomorrow."

The Nomicon didn't open.

"Nomicon… what, the juice?" I asked impatiently, trying to open the book myself. "Why won't you open?"

"Because of me," I heard a sad voice say. I looked up to see a figure clad in a ninja suit like mine, only it had blue wherever mine had red.

I just sat there, stunned. "W-who are you?"

"The Nomicon won't open in my presence anymore. Not since… the incident." She- I'm pretty sure she was a she, since she had a girl's voice and looked like a girl- shook her head so slightly and quickly that anyone else would have missed it, as if to clear her thoughts.

"You never answered my question. And… what incident?" I questioned, partly fearing the answer and partly anticipating it.

"It wasn't my fault…" she trailed off. "Please forgive me, teacher…" she said looking at the Nomicon, and the Nomicon merely glowed in response.

"Hello?" I said, getting up and waving a hand in front of her eyes. "Are you there?"

She looked at me. "Yes, of course I am."

I crossed my arms and waited. "Well? Aren't you going to answer my question?"

"I don't like to talk about the incident, not even with the others. I'm sorry."

"Oh, that's ok. But, seriously, who. The juice. Are you?"

"The Water Ninja."

I stood in shock, which I seemed to be doing a lot lately. "B-but… I'm the only ninja left…"

"Lies," she said shaking her head. "All the teacher teaches anymore are lies…"

"You mean the Nomicon?" I asked, shocked.

"No, I mean the old hippie with a beard at the top of the mountain. Of course I mean the Nomicon. What else?"

"B-but… I don't understand. Why would the Nomicon lie to me? I'm the NINJA. I need to know the truth."

"Then I should leave so it can give it to you," she said, and began to disappear.

"Wait! I need answers!"

"Oh… I'll be back," she assured just before she vanished.

"When? Next week? Next month? NEXT YEAR?!"

But she was already gone.

I turned to the Nomicon. "Nomicon… is this true? Have you been lying to me this whole time?" I heard my voice crack with emotion. I had come to trust the Nomicon, it was usually right and I knew it would always guide me. Now I wasn't so sure.

I opened the book with success this time, and it sucked me in. I felt myself falling, and I landed on the ground with a groan, because it hurt.

"What the juice is going on, Nomicon? Why did the Water Ninja say you were lying to me? And why wouldn't you open in front of her? And why is she called 'the Water Ninja' anyway? I thought I was the only ninja left!" I saw text appear in front of me. "'Sometimes, the teacher does not teach the student certain things until they are deemed ready to learn them.' Well THAT didn't make any sense! What am I supposed to do, Nomicon? Or will you just keep feeding me lies?" I gasped as it seemed to suck me in deeper. I landed in what seemed to be a dark cave. I saw a single flame in the middle of the room, and I could just barely make out a shadowy figure in the back.

"Sit," I heard a voice say, and I obeyed, knowing that this was no ordinary lesson.

"Nomicon… why are you talking?"

"I suppose it is time you should know the truth of your origins."

"So everything HAS been a lie! I knew it!"

"Not everything. The lessons I have taught you will be useful to you no matter what the situation. The battle with the Sorcerer is real. But, first off, there are more enemies out there than just our high school Sorcerer imprisoned in a hole. The elemental ninjas have more foes. The only reason we left them is because they ignored the Sorcerer, thinking he was no longer a threat. And it was never the Norisu nine. It was the Norisu five. Six counting myself, the teacher. Earth, Air, and Water each had their respective apprentices, which is why I told you Norisu nine, though the apprentices and myself could not fight. Fire was a busy ninja, and Snow was very distant anyways. The three apprentices were inexperienced, and I was no longer able to fight."

"So, lemme get this straight," I interrupted the voice. "The Norisu nine were technically the Norisu five, the Sorcerer wasn't our main enemy, in fact, he was barely a threat once he was locked up, and each member of the Norisu five had an element?"

"The Sorcerer was still a threat. Water just refused to see it that way."

"What about the other four? And where do I come into all of this?"

"All in good time… Fire Ninja." I was pushed back into the real world. I stood up, closing the Nomicon and tossing it into my backpack, which rested on the wall. Fire Ninja? Well I guess that explained a lot. I could use the other elements, but when I used fire, I always felt a sense of… freedom. Now that I thought about it, it actually made a lot of sense. My new sword was crafted through fire. When I defeated the Tengu, I threw my mask into the fire, and it was reborn from the flames. And when I put it on, a _circle of fire_ surrounded me and I went into fire rage, and it felt _amazing_. I remember all I could say was "this is the brucest thing in the history of bruce!" Fire came naturally to me! The other elements I had worked with, air and earth, were _much_ harder for me to learn, and I hadn't even tried water or snow yet.

But why was the Water Ninja even here? I decided to ask her when she came back, since she said she would. I just hoped she would keep her word.

*~*~*LINE BREAK*~*~*

I did some heavy thinking last night, and I realized something. If I really want Heidi, I should just ask her as the ninja, and Howard probably won't see us anyway. People might wonder where I am, but nobody but Howard really cares if Randy is missing.

So why not?

Luckily it's early so no one's gotten stanked yet. I slip on the ninja mask and conceal myself, looking for Heidi. I finally see her, talking to someone.

And no amount of ninja training could have prepared me for what was about to happen next.

I listened in on their conversation.

"Soo, Heidi…" the guy says. I notice that he's one of the guys in the fish-cage. "Do you wanna be my date to the dance?"

"Sorry, Luke. I'm already going with someone else," she says. And then I realize: she's going with someone. WHO ISN'T ME. I felt my whole world come tumbling down. Did every attempt, every time, well it was one time but still, she and the ninja had a moment mean nothing to her?

I leave silently. No one's around so I take the mask off and keep walking. It's only been a few seconds when Theresa Fowler sneaks up behind me and taps me on the shoulder.

"Wha…? Oh, hey Theresa." I can hear the sadness in my voice.

"Hi Randy… is something wrong?" she asks with concern in her eyes.

"No, everything's fine."

"Ok, good… cause there's something I've been meaning to ask you."

I shrug. "Ask away," I say, distracted.

"Ok." I hear her take a deep breath. "Will you go to the dance with me?"

**Ooh that was a twist! Wonder what he's going to say. Please review! ;) NG202 out.**


	3. The Dance (1)

**A/N: Ok, after a two-month-long hiatus, it's FINALLY back! Sorry for the long wait :( If you don't already know what happened, the reason is this: After chapter 2, I got a rather bad case of writer's block, and it lasted until about the beginning of October, when I finally got back to working on it. Unfortunately, I was still kind of unsure exactly what to do. So, I still had that writer's block in some parts (mostly the training with the Nomicon part), but, it's FINALLY finished, and don't worry, I won't take as long to get the fourth chapter up. Anyway, enjoy! :D**

I snapped back into focus immediately, shocked. I couldn't believe what had just happened. I knew we had flirted a little during Halloween, but I didn't think she actually liked me.

"Wait, did you just ask me to the dance?" I asked, wanting to make sure I had heard her right.

"Well… yeah…" I could see the blush creeping up her cheeks. This shocked me even more.

I didn't have feelings for her. I mean, she's cute and all, but… ok, so maybe I used to like her a little bit. But that was before the incident with Heidi, and it had just been a small crush with Theresa. And I do mean small, I didn't like her _that_ much.

"Theresa," I started. "I don't…" I could tell she obviously knew what was coming by the way her expression deflated, the hopeful glimmer in her dark eyes fading away, out of sight. Gone. She turned away from me.

I knew that look. I had passed by a mirror right after I saw Heidi and that fish-cage guy… what was his name again? I think it started with an L... That look, that haunted look of rejection, was the one I had worn, and it completely matched the way I had felt inside.

I didn't want to be the deliverer of that feeling. I was the ninja, a hero. I _couldn't_ be a bringer of something like that.

"Theresa?" She looked at me.

"What?"

I took a deep breath, mentally preparing myself. I hadn't expected to go with anyone other than Heidi. "Yes."

*.~.*.~.*

"Come on Cunningham, just _one_ more round of Grave Puncher? Please?!"

"No, Howard, I'm sorry, but I need to train with the Nomicon. It's given me lots of new information on the Norrisville Ninja's history."

"So… what does that have to do with the reason why you can't punch graves?"

"_Howard_."

"No, seriously, what _does_ that have to do with it? Cause last time I checked, _history_ and _ninja-ing_ are two completely different things."

"It's a loooong, complicated story. But the point is, me, Nomicon, _now_."

"Why _now_?"

"Well… you see…" I grasped at straws. I wasn't really sure why it _had_ to be now… "Don't you have to get ready for the dance? It's tonight, you know."

"Not goin'," Howard declared, pulling out his handheld gaming device, concentrating intensely on the little screen.

"Why?" I asked, with no response from Howard, who just kept playing his game. "Hey Howard!" I yelled, snatching it out of his hands and glaring at him.

"Sorry Cunningham, I just… didn't wanna answer the question."

"You don't have a date, do you?"

"I NEVER SAID THAT!"

"So it is true!"

"It's not _my_ fault they all said no!"

I couldn't hold back my laughter. "How many is-" I forced out between laughs. "'Them all'?" I asked, finally managing to cease my chortling.

"Do you _really_ wanna know?"

"Oh Howard!" I burst out laughing again. "You're hopeless, man… I'm going into the Nomicon." I sat on the couch, taking out the black and red book and opening it on my lap. I felt my consciousness get sucked into the Nomicon. I landed in the usual place.

"Oh… I was kinda hoping… that, oh I don't know… maybe we could do some more… Fire Ninja training?" At that, I felt the ground underneath me break apart, but instead of landing back in my body, I landed in that same dark, damp cave as I did yesterday. The flame was still there, and exactly the same as it was yesterday. Only this time, I could see a figure behind it.

_The Nomicon…_ I thought, astonished. It had never occurred to me that he was ever a person. Now the prospect looked quite possible.

"Nomicon?" I asked, shocked. "Is that… you?"

The voice from before sighed. "That's not important."

"So are you going to tell me more about the other elemental ninjas? Are they still around?"

"The Water Ninja is."

"Well duh! I meant the others."

I could have sworn I saw the Nomicon's face smirk at that through the very dim light of the cave. "I see how it is. You want to know even _more_ about your origins. Nothing's ever enough for you."

"Of course I do! I'm the ninj- _fire_ ninja, fire ninja, not the Norrisville Ninja," I corrected my mistake just in time. "I need to know, Nomi*."

"Who's Nomi? Is there someone else here?"

"No… I meant you… it was supposed to be a nickname..." I paused. "You're avoiding the conversation, aren't you?"

"All in good time, Randy-kun**. Now, let's begin _training_," he replied, putting extra emphasis on the word training.

And so we did.

*.~.*.~.*

I panted with exhaustion. "Nomicon, I'm _really_ tired. We've been training for hours. Can we take a break?" I forced out the words between breaths.

"You're right, Randy-kun. I can sense your exhaustion."

"How-"

"We will continue training later. After all, it's about time for you to get ready for that dance of yours. You're going with that Theresa Fowler, isn't that right?" I think I saw him smile as he spoke.

My eyes widened. "How did you know-" I started to reply, but I never got the chance to finish, as I was pushed out of the mystical book and I arrived back in my body. I looked up at the clock. It was 5:30. "There's only an hour 'til the dance! We have to get ready, Howard-" I looked to where Howard should have been. "Howard?" I sighed. _He must've left,_ I told myself, and began to get ready for the dance.

*.~.*.~.*

That night at the dance, I waited at a table in the corner for Theresa to arrive. Since I couldn't drive yet (duh), her parents were going to drop her off.

Or, at least, something like that.

I couldn't exactly concentrate these days. Too distracted with thoughts of you-know-who.

I heard the double doors open, and I turned my head towards the sound. There she was.

Heidi Weinerman.

She looked stunning in an ankle-length aquamarine*** gown with one strap studded with what looked like diamonds, though for all I knew it could've been a cheap knockoff.

There are some things about people that will always be a mystery. Except to them. And, sometimes, we just have no way of knowing what secrets they hold, even when you've known them for a while.

"Hey Randy." I looked up to see Theresa standing in front of me, looking rather annoyed.

"Oh… hi Theresa…" I said, feeling a bit embarrassed, since she had obviously caught me staring at Heidi. Many moments of silence came. She was clearly waiting for me to say something, but I had no idea what I was supposed to say. "You look nice," I blurted out finally. God, this 'date' was a complete fail…

"Thanks," she said, and smiled, even though I could tell it was slightly forced. "So do you."

"Thanks," I replied, forcing a smile. Theresa sighed, looking down at her lap. "What's wrong?"

"Oh… well… it's just that… sometimes I…" she hesitated for a minute, seeming unsure of whether or not she should tell me. "Someone's ignoring me because of something I didn't do…"

"Who?"

"…That's… that's not important…"

"Oh." You know, I find it funny how clueless I was at the time, despite the fact that it should've been obvious. "What happened?"

"That's the worst part, I don't even know! I have no idea what happened, or why it was so bad that… just forget it. It's not important."

Honestly, that wasn't hard to do. It's not that easy to dwell on someone else's problems when the one person you care about never sees you. I looked over at Heidi, who was sitting alone in the opposite corner, looking distraught. _Why is _she_ sad? Doesn't she have a date?_

That was when it hit me.

I heard Theresa sigh in defeat next to me, seeming to have given up. "Do you honestly want to be here, Randy?"

I gulped. I wasn't sure how to say this. "I-" I began, but was cut off by a crash and a roar. I turned to the source of the ruckus. Oh joy.

Bucky was stanked.

***Yes, I know, ****_everyone_**** does this, so, sorry if it's getting old. I'm using the first name Nomi (since I can't think of anything else), but this one will be my own character.**

****A Japanese expression used by some teachers when talking to their students. –kun for a boy, -san for a girl. Usually it's the female teachers who do this, but I wanted to put it in :) (I just remembered that someone did it in another fanfiction too, so… sorry if it seems like I'm copying… X_X)**

*****When I say "aquamarine", I mean this color: . **

**I know it's on the short side, but I wanted to get this out to you guys. Plus I like that little cliffie at the end :D Hey guys, I need to ask you a favor. Could you please review this chapter? It really would mean a lot :)**


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